The Great Stone Face-1
एक दिन एक माँ और उसका छोटा बच्चा अर्नेस्ट अपनी कुटिया के दरवाजे पर बैठे थे। वह चाहता था कि ग्रेट स्टोन फेस बोल सके। माँ को उम्मीद थी कि वह एक बार इसी तरह के चेहरे वाले एक आदमी को देखेगा। उसने एक जिज्ञासु कहानी सुनाई, जो उसने खुद बचपन में सुनी थी। उस पत्थर के चेहरे को धारण करने वाला एक महान व्यक्ति किसी दिन पैदा होगा। यह एक भविष्यवाणी थी।
अर्नेस्ट उस कहानी को कभी नहीं भूल सका। वह अपनी मां की बहुत मदद करता था। वह बड़ा होकर एक सौम्य, शांत युवक बन गया। स्टोन फेस उनके शिक्षक बन गए। बच्चा इसे घंटों देखता रहता था।
One day a mother and her little child, Ernest, sat at the door of their cottage. He wished that the Great Stone Face could speak. The mother hoped to see a man some time with a similar face. She told a curious story, she herself had heard in her childhood. A great man bearing that stone face would be born some day. That was a prophecy.
Ernest could never forget that story. He was very helpful to his mother. He grew up to be a gentle, quiet young man. The Stone Face became his teacher. The child used to watch it for hours.
एक बार एक अफवाह फैल गई कि महान व्यक्ति, जिसे महान पत्थर के चेहरे के समान होना था, आखिर में प्रकट हुआ था। कई साल पहले एक युवक घाटी छोड़कर दूर समुद्री बंदरगाह पर बस गया था। वह बहुत अमीर हो गया। फिर उन्होंने अपने मूल स्थान पर लौटने का फैसला किया। वह मिस्टर गैदरगोल्ड थे। लोगों ने उनका महान व्यक्ति के रूप में स्वागत किया क्योंकि वह महान पत्थर के चेहरे से मिलते जुलते थे। लेकिन अर्नेस्ट इन लोगों से सहमत नहीं था।
साल चले। अर्नेस्ट एक जवान आदमी बन गया। उन्होंने कम ध्यान आकर्षित किया। उसके पास कुछ भी उल्लेखनीय नहीं था। लेकिन वह मेहनती और दयालु था। वह अभी भी महान पत्थर के चेहरे को देखना पसंद करता था। उसे आश्चर्य हुआ कि पत्थर के चेहरे वाला आदमी उस घाटी में आने में इतना समय क्यों लगा रहा था।
Once a rumour spread that the great man, who was to bear a resemblance to the Great stone face, had appeared at last. Many years ago, a young man had left the valley and settled at a distant sea port. He became very rich. Then he decided to return to his native place. He was Mr. Gathergold. People welcomed him as the great man because he resembled the great stone face. But Ernest didn’t agree with these people.
Years went on. Ernest grew to be a young man. He drew little attention. He had nothing remarkable. But he was hardworking and kind. He still loved to gaze upon the great stone face. He wondered why the stone-faced man was taking so long to come to that valley.
Mr. Gathergold died as a poor man and was buried. People then agreed that there was no likeness between the ruined merchant and the majestic face upon the mountain.
It so happened that another son of the valley returned to his native valley. He had become a famous commander. The people turned to him blindly and accepted him as the Great Stone Face. But Ernest could not see any similarity between them.
मिस्टर गैदरगोल्ड एक गरीब व्यक्ति के रूप में मर गए और उन्हें दफना दिया गया। तब लोग मान गए कि पहाड़ पर तबाह हुए व्यापारी और राजसी चेहरे के बीच कोई समानता नहीं है।
हुआ यूँ कि घाटी का एक और बेटा अपनी पैतृक घाटी को लौट गया। वह एक प्रसिद्ध सेनापति बन गया था। लोगों ने आँख बंद करके उसकी ओर रुख किया और उसे ग्रेट स्टोन फेस के रूप में स्वीकार किया। लेकिन अर्नेस्ट को उनके बीच कोई समानता नजर नहीं आई।
Comprehension Check-1
Q-1. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
Ans-1. The Great Stone Face stood near where Ernest and his mother lived. – False
2. One would clearly distinguish the features of the Stone Face only from a distance. – True
3. Ernest loved his mother and helped her in her work. – True
4. Though not very rich, Gathergold was a skillful merchant. – False
5. Gathergold died in poverty and neglect. – True
6. The Great Stone Face seemed to suggest that Ernest should not fear the general. – False
Working with the text
Q-1. (i) What was the Great Stone Face?
Ans-1. These rocks were clustered together in such a position that when viewed from a certain distance, they resembled the features of a human face and from near,. If the spectator approached too near, he lost the outline of the enormous face and could see only a heap of gigantic rocks, piled one upon another. But seen from a distance.
(ii) What did young Ernest wish when he gazed at it?
Ans-2. (ii) Whenever Ernest gazed at the Great Stone Face, he felt it was smiling at him. The young boy wished it could talk to him because he felt that if it looks so very kindly, then its voice must indeed be pleasant. He said that if he ever sees a man with a similar face, he would love him very much.
Q-2.What gave the people of the valley the idea that the prophecy was about to come true for the first time?
Ans-2. A young man named Gathergold had left the valley and settled at a distant seaport. He had grown to be a wealthy merchant by the time he grew old. He decided to return to his native valley and live his last few days where he had been born. It was believed that he had a close resemblance to the Great Stone Face and the prophecy was about to come true for the first time.
Q4.(i) Did Ernest see in Gathergold the likeness of the Stone Face?
Ans-4.(i) No, Ernest did not see the likeness of the Stone Face in Gathergold.
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